Berkshire Innovation Center Announces New Round of Accelerator Companies

PITTSFIELD — The Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC) announced the third cohort of startup firms that have been accepted into its Stage 2 Accelerator program. This 35-week, hands-on, results-oriented program is designed to serve early-stage tech startups. The awardees will receive BIC membership, full access to labs, advanced equipment, digital media studio, educational programming, and an internal team of subject matter experts, as well as broad, curated support from BIC’s committed member community.

“We launched our Stage 2 Accelerator program in 2023 so that we could provide the full range of BIC resources to more entrepreneurs,” said Ben Sosne, executive director of the Berkshire Innovation Center. “We had tremendous firms in the last two cohorts, many of whom we continue to work with very closely as BIC members. It is thrilling to welcome this next crop of entrepreneurs and to continue to build this program, which presents such an opportunity to fuel the growth of new firms and new jobs in sectors prioritized by the Commonwealth, and that strengthen of our regional rural innovation economy.”

The following firms have been accepted into the third cohort of the BIC Stage 2 Accelerator:

• Diel Technologies has developed a patented axial flux motor that allows wearables to harvest energy while in motion, whether running a marathon or picking up a cup of coffee.

• Elimentra Technologies is developing a proprietary system that collocates processing units at the source of biomass and industrial waste byproducts, converting these end-stream materials in high-value-add commodities while capturing carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.

• ENSO is reshaping the future of addiction recovery for more than 48 million Americans with an AI-powered behavior management system that delivers real-time, personalized support through a discreet wearable device and secure mobile platform.

• Globe Grown’s mission is to develop a fully autonomous robot that will help farmers reduce chemical herbicide use, improve soil health, and empower growers with data-driven, regenerative farming tools.

• HKG Energy has developed a proprietary material, Terra Silicon, that addresses the scalability, cost, and performance limitations of conventional graphite and silicon-graphite battery anodes. With a demonstrated energy density of over 400 watt hours per kilogram, fast-charging capabilities under 15 minutes, and a clear path to mass production, the firm is engaging with major original equipment manufacturers and battery manufacturers for early pilots.

• TaskMind is developing a full-circle sales platform designed to help teams sell smarter and harder. It is built for firms looking to improve the quality, precision, and efficiency of their sales outreach. Its intelligent web application equips sales representatives with the tools they need to generate deep research reports, craft high-context outreach, monitor real-time industry insights, and identify trends that guide smarter targeting.

Partners providing support for this program include the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Mill Town Foundation, Hamilton Brook Smith Reynolds, MassMEDIC, Altium, MathWorks, and SolidWorks.

Entrepreneurs in the cohort will also have access to the BMA STAT Program, built in partnership with MIT and local industry partners with funding support from the U.S. Department of Commerce and MassTech Collaborative.

In addition, firms in the program will have extensive access to the vast network of experts that engage with the BIC regularly. Among the numerous mentors supporting the entrepreneurs and guiding the growth of the program is Sam Russo, co-founder of Dive Technologies, a firm that leveraged BIC resources to build its autonomous underwater vehicle prior to acquisition by Anduril Industries in 2022.

“I’m proud of what the team at Dive Technologies was able to accomplish and am grateful for the support that the BIC and the BIC network provided along the way,” Russo said. “I learned a tremendous amount as we advanced our product and grew our firm, and I continue to enjoy sharing my experiences with the entrepreneurs leveraging the BIC.”